Telescoping cigarette case



Patented Nov. 23, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT oEEicEN TELESCOPING CIGARETTE CASE James W. Irwin, Washington,`D. C.

Application December 4, 1945, SeralNo. 632,747

The invention relates to a case adustable to two lengths, for any purpose for which such adjustment in size may be desirable.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompany drawings, wherein- Figure I is a side elevation of the bottom container in which a package of cigarettes or similarly shaped objects may stand.

Figure II is a side View of the top of the case.

Figure III shows the diagonally opposite corner of the top from that shown in Figure II.

Figure IV shows a modied form of the bottom container.

Figure V shows the top of the modified form for the container shown in Figure IV.

The case comprises two parts. The lower part called the container is f or receiving a package of cigarettes or similarly shaped objects, The upper part is ycalled the top which ts down over the upper part of the container. The two parts closed together form a box snugly encasing or jacketing a package of cigarettes. In a cigarette case of this type, the fitting together of the top and container is facilitated by providing a band portion around the top of the container in which the wall is uniformly thinner than the lower adjacent part of the container wall. The depression of the thinner part or band results in a narrow ledge or abutment around the container spaced from the base line of the said container. When the top is put on the container, its lower edge fits down upon this ledge. The ledge around the container and the lower vedge of the top pressing together when the case is closed may be called th-e upper and lower adhesion lines. The upper and lower adhesion lines are comprised of a series yof broken or offset lines horizontal and perpendicular as shown in Figures I, II and III of the drawing. The horizontal segments of the adhesion lines of both sides and both ends of the container, Figure I, are alternately high and low. Likewise the horizontal segments of the adhesion lines of both sides and both ends of the top are alternatingly high and low. v

Where there are the number of adhesion lines segments shown in Figures I, II and III or a greater number, the high and low horizontal segments alternate on each side and each end of the container and top, but they do not alternate in a series clear around the container or top. There is one corner of the container where a low side segment and a low end segment join as shown in Figure I. Diagonally opposite is a corner where a high side segment and a high end seg- Y claims. (c1. zoe-41) ment of the container join.` Likewise the top has one corner at which a low side segment and a low end segment join as shown in Figure 1I, and the diagonally opposite corner at which a high side segment and a high end segment join as shown in Figure III. As a consequence or" this structure the thick walled container base has a series of rectangular upward projections or abutments. Each of these upward projections isdesignated by the letter A. This necessarily results in making in the thin walled upper band of the container a series of downwardly projecting spaces marked with the letter B. The container may have for its thick walled portion only a thick band consisting of segments of a band instead of an entire thick Walled base.

In the top the lowering of the horizontal segments of the adhesion line results in a series of rectangular downward projections or abutments. Each of these downward projections is designated A. There necessarily results between these downward projections a series of downwardly projecting rectangular recesses B.

The Figures I, II, and III each shows one Side and one end of the container or of the top. Opposite each protruding rectangle A and A on the other side or end of the container or of the top is a duplicate protruding rectangle A and A. Opposite each hollow or depressed rectangle B and B on the other side or end is a duplicate B and B. The A in each instance must be minutely smaller than the B and the A must vbe minutely smaller than the corresponding B, so that the ycontainer and top can mesh together.

When the top is placed on the container, side as" and end t over side and end n, that is, Figure II ts over Figure I and the projections A t snugly into the recesses B. whereby the case is assembled for the short length cigarettes. When the top is reversed, that is', the second or open ended top portion is rotated about a vertical axis from the position in which the abutments interi-lt and is telesccped over the container portion7 and placed on the container portion with the side y', and end y', over the side a: and end x, respectively, that is, Figure III over Figure I, the portions A rest on the portions A and the case is adjusted for the long length cigarettes.

For symmetry and appearance and for stronger adhesion between the top and the container, the top may have an exterior extension or apron, as indicated by the dotted lines in the drawing, Figures II and III forming an outside covering for the portions Ayand B'. This apron could be long enough to form an outside covering for the portions A and B when the cigarette case is adjusted for long lengths,

As a guide to which way to turn the top when the rectangles A and B are hidden by the apron as indicated in Figures II and III, the apron of end 9: of the top may have an arrow or similar marking pointing downward. On the end of the container there is the word short or equivalent marking so placed that the arrow points to or cornes into juxtaposition with the word short when the top is put on the container end 1r over end 0n the end y the word long or equivalent marking may be so .placed that the arrow points to or comes into juxtaposition with the word long when the topis put on with the container end over end :12.

There is another form of case shown in Figures IV and V. In this form the top is shown in position to be assembled upon the container to accommodate the short length cigarette and to accommodate the long lengths the` top would be turned 180 degrees and brought down over the container. The high segments of the horizontal adhesion lines of the container are designated with the letter H and of the top with the letter H. The two ends visible in the drawing of the low segments of the container are designated L and of the top L. Aprons similar to those of Figures II and III may be used with the form of Figure V.

I claim:

1. A cigarette case rectangular in cross-section composed of two open ended portions telescopingly engaging each other in frictional engagement, the first portion provided with outwardly projecting abutments arranged in longitudinally offset parts adjacent its open end with spaces between said parts, the second open ended portion provided with abutments and spaces similar to the abutments and spaces on the irst portion and offset to cooperate with the abutments and spaces on the rst portion; said last named abutments fitting into said rst named spaces when the two portions are in telescoping position for containing short length articles, and the abutments on both portions abutting each other in edge to edge position when the second open ended portion is rotated 180 about a vertical axis from the position in which the abutments intert and telescoped over the first open ended portion for containing greater length articles.

2. Claim 1, in which the second portion of the cigarette case has superimposed on the exterior planes of its walls, aprons in parallel planes to the said walls, which aprons, when the two portions of the cigarette case are in telescoping position for containing relatively greater length articles, cover the open spaces between the meeting abutments of the two portions.

3, A cigarette case, rectangular in cross-section, composed of two open ended portions telescopingf ly engaging each other in frictional engagement,

the rst portion provided with outwardly project.- ing abutments arranged in longitudinally offset parts spaced from each other adjacent its open end, and the second open ended portion provided with abutments spaced similar to the abutments `on the first portion and offset to cooperate with the spaced abutments on the first portion; said abutments on the second portion fitting between the abutments on the rst portion when the two portions are in telescoping position for containing short length articles, and the abutments abutting each other in edge to edge position when the second open ended portion is rotated 180 about a vertical axis from the position in which the abutments intert and telescoped over the irst open ended portion for containing greater length articles.

4. A cigarette case rectangular in cross-section composed of two open ended portions telescopically engaging each other in frictional engagement, the first portion provided with outwardly projecting abutments adjacent to its open end, extending along two adjacent sides in a hori- Zontal plane, and outwardly projecting abutments extending along the other twosides in a horizontal plane lower than the rst described horizontal plane, and the second portion having two adjacent sides longer perpendicularly than its other two sides, all so proportioned that the two portions may be placed in telescoping engagement position with the edges of the longer sides of the second portion at its open end engaged with the lower abutments of the rst portion, and the edges of the shorter sides of the second portion at its open end engaged with the higher abutments of the iirst portion, whereby the case is in adjustment for holding articles of relatively shorter length; and so proportioned that when the second open ended portion is rotated about a vertical axis from the said telescopic engagement position, and telescoped over the first open ended portion the edges of the longer sides of the second portion at its open end engage with the higher abutments of the rst portion, whereby the container is in adjustment for holding articles of relatively longer length.

5. Claim 4, in which one of the two portions of the cigarette case has superimposed on the eX- terior walls of its two sides which are perpendicularly adjacent to the lower abutments of the iirst portion when the two portions are engaged for containing articles of relatively greater length, rectangular aprons in planes parallel to the said walls, which aprons, when the two portions are so engaged, cover the open spaces between the lower abutments of the rst portion and the shorter sides of the second portion.

JAMES W. IRWIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,886,109 Lenfant NOV. 1, 1932 1,932,905 Miller Oct. 31, 1933 

